Factorytalk SE Keypad problems

Hi everyone,

I need help with a problem that I am experiencing with keypads for Factorytalk SE.

The main problem is slowdown with using a VBA scripted keypad (not my design), and I have tried troubleshooting the script but to know avail on speeding it up. And we tried to use the active X keypad, and that is no faster.

So, I am wondering what people use out there for SE, if you have made a keypad, if you can help with my keypad, etc.

Any help beside that of KB from Rockwell will be welcomed.

Thanks!

not something I have done - But - what is your COMM speed - if not E/Net
a large number of systems use 9600 as the default - most HMI's can handle 19.2k or even higher

iant said:

not something I have done - But - what is your COMM speed - if not E/Net
a large number of systems use 9600 as the default - most HMI's can handle 19.2k or even higher

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I am a little confused...I am talking about the keypad on an HMI screen, I dont know what baud speed has to do with what I am asking. thanks though.

so am I now - sorry - you said SE which is the 'SITE EDDITION'
ME is the machine eddition of the software.
you also said the keypad responce is slow.
i assume that when you thouch the button there is a large delay before something happens? is that correct?

iant said:

so am I now - sorry - you said SE which is the 'SITE EDDITION'
ME is the machine eddition of the software.
you also said the keypad responce is slow.
i assume that when you thouch the button there is a large delay before something happens? is that correct?

Click to expand...

That is correct, with both the VBA code and active X keypads

ok
If you monitor the PLC is the response slow then. or is it just visably slow on the HMI -
Are you using E/net for your comms.
There can be slow responses if you are using a web server protocol as it also can have a slow read time
If you are using RS232 comms then as I said before the default is 9600 and is will be slow
hopefully this helps a bit

iant said:

ok
If you monitor the PLC is the response slow then. or is it just visably slow on the HMI -
Are you using E/net for your comms.
There can be slow responses if you are using a web server protocol as it also can have a slow read time
If you are using RS232 comms then as I said before the default is 9600 and is will be slow
hopefully this helps a bit

Click to expand...

visibly slow only on the HMI

using ethernet for comms, web server protocol, I dont believe we are using this, I will have to verify with our guys who work on our server.

Check your data communication switch, are you using full duplex config ?, using 10, 100 or 1000 mbps ??

widelto said:

Check your data communication switch, are you using full duplex config ?, using 10, 100 or 1000 mbps ??

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we are using full duplex config @ 1000 mbps.

I also found out that our server architecture is based on VMs (virtual machines) running on a server with a backup server. They all have an IP address, but not sure if that revolves around a web service protocol.

I have this feeling that it is the VBA, as I found that other parts of our project are using VBA to navigate through screen, as we have one HMI project, for multiple products. My theory behind this was that we are using Factory talk to jump to VBA to ping the PLC to jump back to VBA to reference factory talk. When I deleted the VBA for the navigation and used a global object based on what product is selected, the navigation sped up 10x, now i can flip through screens without the delay. And I have the same concern for the Keypad, as it also does the same thing.

So currently, I am looking up new options, as we get complaints from our customers about the slow down. if you need any more information, I can happily provide that.

jparker83 said:

as we have one HMI project, for multiple products.

Click to expand...

This method isin most cases more trouble than it is worth. You save time when making changes but all that saved time is consumed and then some when you have issues like this.

I would use standard object based screen navigation and have a different HMI project for each product IMHO.

The Plc Kid said:

This method isin most cases more trouble than it is worth. You save time when making changes but all that saved time is consumed and then some when you have issues like this.

I would use standard object based screen navigation and have a different HMI project for each product IMHO.

Click to expand...

yeah....I would but when you have 200+ products out there (all with minor changes) I think going with one HMI program is the best way....IMHO, unless you have time to service all of them

but thanks for you input.....how about some help to my problem though